Saturday, February 18, 2012

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquer has undergone a little bit of a makeover! I didn't mind the packaging before, but after seeing the new style, I have to say that it is definitely an improvement.

One the left is the old-style bottle. Short, chunky, rounded-square shape. On the right is the new bottle. The new bottle is taller and slimmer, has crisp edges and an improved brush. It holds the same amount of product as the old bottle. The new style packaging is similar to the American Apparel or Massini bottles.Edit: Now that I'm thinking about it, the new OCC bottle is identical to the POP Beauty nail lacquer bottle, to give you an idea of the shape and weight of it.

The brush in the new bottle is a lot nicer. On the left is the old brush, which was a rounded style brush and not too precise. On the right is the new brush. It's a little beefier, has more evenly cut bristles and is a straight-edged flat brush, similar to an OPI Pro-Wide, just not as wide.

Also, as you can see in the top picture, the polishes now come in a protective clear plastic box. It is sturdy enough for storing the polishes, but it isn't crush-proof.

The packaging still has that trademark generic look, but it's a little more sleek and streamlined now. I do appreciate the better quality brush, but there is a downside to the new bottles: they're easier to tip over! Since they're tall and slim, they're not as steady as the old ones. The new ones look nicer, but I do have to be more careful not to knock them over.

The polishes are still the same, and all colors (and treatments) are available in the new packaging. I tried out a few of the shades to make sure the formula and application were still the same (formula feels the same but application is better because of the nicer brush), and I also swatched the two colors I didn't previously have:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Ghostly. This is a very pale lavender-grey creme. More lavender than grey. Ghostly is a good name for this!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Resolution. This is a cranberry red shimmer. Not very bright, not dark or vampy, just a plain medium red.

I also tested out the Flatline Matte Topcoat, which I'd never previously swatched:Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Flatline Matte Topcoat over OCC Resolution. This is your standard matte-finish topcoat. It lightens the color of the polish slightly, giving it a bit of a cloudy haze. It is a true matte finish (not a satin), but it's not as chalky/ultra-matte looking as the Essie Matte About You topcoat.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquers are 3-free and vegan. All shades are available on OCC's website and they retail for $8 (for 0.5 fluid ounces).

Aw, so sad. I can't find Ghostly on their site. It's so funny how you can be lemming over a particular color, (in my case, a very light, almost white, lavender), and suddenly bump into it....but then still not be able to get your hands on it. LOL

I actually quite dislike the new American Apparel-style bottles; they always tip over on me! I'm pretty vigorous when I wipe excess polish off my brush, so I have to be more careful than I really want to. :P